Some drifts were up to 60 centimetres deep. In June and July 1990 the Oberon district had two weeks of continuous snowfalls similar to last Friday’s dump.

The icy weather brought snow to much of the Central Tablelands, including Orange, Oberon, Lithgow and even Bathurst.

On Friday Oberon’s temperature was a very cold -1.5 degrees celsius, rising to a maximum of 2.6.

All roads to Oberon were closed at 10.30pm on Thursday evening, including the O’Connell Road, Abercrombie Road and Duckmaloi Road. Most roads remained closed all day Friday with the Bathurst road reopening at 1.30pm.

Local businessmen Robert Slattery, who delivers bread, milk, mail, newspapers and chemist supplies daily, said the O’Connell Road closure has cost him a lot of money.

“I am sure the council could have graded the road, it was only soft snow – it was more dangerous on Saturday when black ice covered the road,” he said. 

“The O’Connell Road is the main road for workers to get to the factories. It costs the town a lot of money with the roads closed. Years gone by council staff used to grade the roads.”

Oberon Council general manager, Alan Cairney said it was a combination of council, RMS and police who decide on road closures.

Mr Cairney said it was council’s responsibility to inspect roads and clear fallen trees for emergency access and it was not council policy to grade the roads.